The Second Generation
by The Lady Athanasia
Summary: Harry's son, Ron's daughter, and Draco's child are in the mix. They are all alive, well, and on their way to Hogwarts!
1. Default Chapter

The Second Generation    
  
  
  


The Second Generation Chapter 1 

Harry sighed. He stared out the window, through the pouring rain, through the dim light. He waited. His wife hadn't come home yet. She was supposed to be there by six o'clock. It was now nine. He sighed again. He turned to the squishy purple armchair that Professor Dumbledore had given him for his wedding. He sank into it deeply. He pulled out the flask of whiskey that he always kept on hand during these times. He drank deeply, letting the excess alcohol run down his chin. He wiped it away with the back of his hand.   
  
The light turned on outside. A small red car pulled into the driveway. A figure got out of the driver's seat and then went around to the passenger side. Two more figures got out. The first figure ran to the door, and the others followed. The door burst open as Harry's wife walked in.   
  
Harry's face broke into a sigh of relief. "Ginny!" he whispered into her ear as he kissed her on the cheek. He looked behind her.  
  
Standing there, in the cold rain, were two figures that Harry was familiar of. The color drained out of his face. He hadn't seen them in years. He stood there, staring at them. It seemed like hours before one of them spoke.  
  
"Hello, Harry."  
  
  
  
  
  
Review!  
  



	2. Chapter 2

The Second Generation   
  


Chapter 2 

  
  
"Hey, Ron." Harry looked at his best friend. His best friend from Hogwarts. His best friend that betrayed him.  
  
There were no movements and no sounds. Only the pitter-patter of the rain on the window could be heard in the room. The woman next to Ron behind him held a small bundle cuddled in her arms. Harry nodded curtly at her.  
  
"Hermione." He nodded. She nodded back.  
  
"Harry." Ginny whispered. "They need our help."  
  
  
  
Harry sat and stared crossly at the three in front of him. Ginny was carrying on a conversation with Hermione just like it was old times. Ron stared into the fire. Harry stared at Ron. How long had it been since the two friends had exchanged words? It seemed like forever to Harry. Ginny looked at Harry.  
  
"Harry. Hermione and Ron need us."  
  
"What for?" Harry snorted.  
  
"Harry," Ginny said patiently. She eyed the bottle of liquor on the coffee table. "They need us to watch after Elizabeth."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Their daughter." Ginny carefully took the bundle from Hermione's arms. Hermione bit her lip. "Voldemort is after them, and Dumbledore wants them to go into hiding. They don't want Elizabeth to live that way. Always running, never feeling safe. They want her to grow up happily, and-"  
  
"They think she'll be safe here?" Harry's voice was rough and unusual. His eyes were choked with unshed tears. "They think that we're normal wizards!" His voice was starting to rise, as it usually did when he drank. "Voldemort is practically breathing down our necks! Sirius is our secret-keeper, and I'm not even sure if he's alive!"  
  
"Harry-"  
  
"I mean, it'd be one thing if they asked us to give them money or something, but this is a whole 'nother damn life we have to worry about!"  
  
"Harry!" Ginny had given back Elizabeth to Hermione. "Come here!" she ordered and led him into the kitchen. She closed the door gently. She turned on Harry. "Whether you like it or not, we will take care of that little girl! These people are your friends! Your companions! I didn't expect for you to act like this! What happened to the great Harry Potter that saved the world? What happened to the kind, caring, loving boy that I married? He's certainly not standing here, right in front of me! I can't believe you, Harry! If I even knew for one second that you would act like this when we were getting married, I would have walked straight out the door! You know who you're acting like? Draco Malfoy!" she hissed. She stalked out of the room, leaving Harry all alone to himself. He stood, stunned by Ginny's words, staring off into space. He was acting like his worst enemy. After recollecting his thoughts, he walked back out into the living room. Everyone turned to him.  
  
Harry sighed. "We'll do it."  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3: The Letter

The Second Generation   
  
  
  
That day was unlike any other Saturday. Jacob and Elizabeth both got out of bed, trudged downstairs, ate their breakfast and plopped down in front of the T.V. By Noon, they had gotten into countless arguments, played several practical tricks on their parents and already almost gotten grounded. They were just being scolded by their mother for putting pepper in her tea, when there was a small tap at the window. Ginny looked up. A large barn owl was sitting on the windowsill. Both Jacob and Elizabeth gaped in amazement at the large, majestic bird, and as their mother opened the window as if nothing was amiss. She removed two letters from the owl's beak.  
  
"Thank you!" she nodded politely. The owl clucked. Ginny walked over to one of the counter and picked up a piece of bread. She held it out to the owl, who gobbled it up greedily then flew off. She turned to the two eleven-year-olds. She handed each of them their letter, then continued on scolding them. "Really, I don't know what your father would say. We didn't bring you up to have you both act like vagabonds."  
  
"Mum? What's this?" asked Jacob. He ran a hand through his jet-black hair, much like his father's. Elizabeth had fiery red hair, more from their mother's side of the family. Even though they looked nothing alike, people often said that the twins had something that linked them together.  
  
"Open it and read." Ginny beamed. They both opened their letters simultaneously. As they gazed over the contents of the letter, their mouths dropped lower and lower.  
  
"Witches and Wizards!" Elizabeth exclaimed.  
  
"Magic spells! Books!" Jacob yelled.  
  
"Is this a joke, mum?" Elizabeth asked, hoping it wasn't one.  
  
"No, it isn't...hmm...let's see...today's the...30th of July! Oh! Your father's birthday is tomorrow! Shoot! Hold on, kids...go get some money. We need to go to the store. Your father shouldn't be home until Five...that should give us just enough time to get his presents..."  
  
"Mum? It says that we need to reply by tomorrow." Jacob pointed out.  
  
"Oh, yes..." Ginny grabbed the letters out of the twin's hands and hurried over to their basement door. She flung it wide open and bounded down the stairs. The twins had never been allowed to go there. It was their father's office. But now...now was different...apparently, their mother and father were keeping something from them...something drastically important...It felt like they had reached a certain age where they couldn't be denied anything. So, they followed their mother down into the icy blackness of the basement.  
  
They reached the bottom of the stairs and bumped into their mother. She held out an arm to keep them back.  
  
"_Lumos_!" she yelled. The basement went from the icy blackness to a brilliance of colors that dazzled the eyes. All around them were stars. Their father had painted the walls, ceiling, and floor so it looked as if they were suspended in space. Scattered around the whole basement were books all over the floor and tables. There was a cauldron in the center, a whole bunch of scrolls and quills scattered about, and what looked like a broomstick hanging up on the wall. But the best was in the back corner of the room. Elizabeth walked slowly towards the hulking, cloth-covered figure. It was standing on one, gold and silver-spiraled leg that pronged out into three different twists and the base. She carefully lifted the cloth off of the giant figure. She gasped at the sight.  
  
A giant snowy owl sat, blinking at her through the bars of the cage. It hooted softly. The sight of the huge, majestic owl sitting daintily on the bar of the cage nearly took Elizabeth's breath away.  
  
Her mother came over to her. "That's your father's owl, Hedwig."  
  
"She's beautiful." Elizabeth breathed. She turned to Jacob. He was sitting at one of the tables, deeply interested in a scroll lying on the table. "Jacob..." he didn't look up. "Jacob!" she yelled. His head snapped up.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just look at this owl!"  
  
He said nothing, but his eyes widened. "Is that...real?" he gasped after a very long time.  
  
"Yes. It is..." Ginny beamed at her two children. "Now. Where is that parchment?" she turned and started to shuffle around some papers piled upon the desk. She finally found one that suited her, so she whipped out a quill and began to write in reply.  
  
"Mum?" asked Elizabeth. "Shouldn't you talk with dad about this?"  
  
"Oh, don't be silly, Elizabeth. Your father and I have been discussing this for years."  
  
"Years? You mean, you knew that we were wizards?" Jacob and Elizabeth both started at their mother in a new light. Their mother had always been quite frank with them, even when they were babies. Now, there was a whole new universe that they didn't know about and their parents hadn't told them. A flood of questions broke in their minds.  
  
"Why?" Elizabeth voiced the most important question that the children were both wondering.  
  
Ginny's smile was instantly wiped from her face. She paused from her writing and looked up. "All in due time, my children."  
  
If there was one thing that scared them, it was having their mother call them "my children." She only used that tone of voice when she was very serious.  
  
  
  
The rest of the day's frantic shopping and wrapping and finding the right type of cake nearly made the two children forget about Hogwarts.  
  
Nearly.  
  
By the time their father got home, they were nearly bursting with excitement.  
  
Harry sat staring into oblivion at the two chattering pre-teens in front of him. Of course he was proud that they were going to Hogwarts, but so soon? He couldn't stand the thought of being away from them. He looked from Jacob to Elizabeth, to Ginny and back to Jacob. "Well, dad?" Jacob asked. "Can we go?"  
  
Harry sighed. He looked at the letter. Memories from years ago flooded into his mind. Meeting Voldemort, finding out about his parents, meeting Hermione and Ron...a lump started to grow in his throat. Ron...just the thought of him made Harry want to cry. He sighed. "Of course you can go, kids." He smiled. Ginny let out a breath that she had been holding for the past minute.  
  
"Well, that's a relief, because I've already sent the reply letters with Hewig." She smiled.  
  
Harry looked at her incredulously. Then, his solemn face broke out into a rare smile.  
  
  
  



End file.
